A party-list lawmaker on Monday labelled the ongoing deliberations on ABS-CBN franchise a "fishing expedition," even as he urged fellow House members to finally deliberate and vote on issues tackled in previous seven hearings.
Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, in a virtual media forum, criticized the way the hearings were conducted by the House committees on legislative franchises and good government and public accountability.
He said anti-ABS-CBN lawmakers could not even present evidence to support their claims.
"I cannot think of any descriptive, accurate, apt word for what is going on more than brow-beating, because the resource persons are considered guilty, prove yourselves innocent. They cannot even present evidence to prosecute; they even demand record from the accused or suspect," Atienza said.
"This is a fishing expedition, more than a hearing," he added.
Atienza said he was concerned that the conduct of the hearing has become an "inquisition, interrogation and investigation."
"I appealed to the leadership of the panel to fix the proceedings. Congressman (Franz) Alvarez said they have been fair, so let's just let the public judge," he said.
Atienza believed that the hearings being conducted by the joint panel have been "unparliamentary" and "undemocratic" as he insisted that Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta has been "browbeating" resource persons from the network.
Atienza said the joint panel should now deliberate and vote on issues tackled in previous seven hearings.
"We should now vote on these issues already thoroughly discussed in previous hearings… We are on a continuing fishing expedition. After seven hearings, none of the allegations raised by Congressman Marcoleta have been proven," he said.
He cited the citizenship of ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III, issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) of ABS-CBN Holdings to foreign nationals, and the reacquisition of the Lopez family after EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986.
Atienza said the Department of Justice already said that dual citizens like Lopez are allowed to own media companies because they are considered natural-born Filipinos, while the Securities and Exchange Commission held that there is nothing irregular or illegal in granting PDRs to foreigners.
As to the reacquisition of ABS-CBN by the Lopezes after EDSA People Power, Atienza said he was also a witness to this issue having served the administration of the late former president Corazon Aquino.
"President Cory returned it to the Marcoses. What's illegal on that? To me that's correcting injustices committed," he explained.